The Construction of Mystical Experience

Abstract

CAPITALIZING ON THE CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH DEVELOPED BY PHILOSOPHERS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS, STEVEN KATZ ARGUES THAT MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE IS IN PART CONSTRUCTED, SHAPED AND COLORED BY THE CONCEPTS AND BELIEFS WHICH THE MYSTIC BRINGS TO IT. MERITS AND PROBLEMS OF THIS CONSTRUCTIVIST ACCOUNT OF MYSTICISM ARE DISCUSSED. THE APPROACH IS SEEN TO BE ILL-SUITED TO EXPLAIN THE NOVELTIES AND SURPRISES FOR WHICH MYSTICISM IS RENOWNED. A NEW MODEL IS SUGGESTED: THAT MYSTICISM IS PRODUCED BY A PROCESS SIMILAR TO FORGETTING. TWO FORMS OF FORGETTING ARE DESCRIBED: A MASSIVE AND COMPLETE FORGETTING OF CONCEPTS IN THE "PURE CONSCIOUSNESS EVENT" AND DEAUTOMATIZATION IN THE MORE PERMANENT UNITIVE EXPERIENCES.